Village Pioneers

History of Logan Village, Yarrabilba & Surrounds – Part Four

1997 – Pioneers Commemorate Historic Wall – Two people who have played an active role in the development of the Logan Village area for many years, Larry Storey and Alfred Bobermien, had the honour of unveiling the commemorative plaque on the Historical Wall commemorating the settlement of Logan Village area from 1863. The unveiling of the plaque was a memorial to early pioneers who settled the area. It was mounted on a sandstone wall. The sandstone blocks were the original blocks used on an old building, believed to be a store for materials off-loaded from river boats. (This has since been relocated to in front of the Logan Village Museum entry.)

1997 – Waterford Bridge named As The Larry Storey Bridge – in recognition of Larry’s contribution to the area over many years – When the old Waterford Bridge was washed away by floods in 1947, Larry, at the time, was a Main Roads Department employee. He put his energy towards reconstruction of a new bridge. When the new Waterford Bridge was opened in 1954, Larry, as a member of the opening committee, witnessed more than 3,000 people turn out to celebrate the renewed link between
Waterford and Bethania.

1997 – Mrs Olive (Ollie) Musch Of Logan Village – has been selected as Beaudesert Shire’s National Australia Day Citizen of the Year for her outstanding contribution to the local community over more than 40 years. A tireless worker for the community, Mrs Much, 72, was a driving force behind the formation of many Logan Village organisations including the Anzac Committee, the school P&C Association, Girl Guides, the Logan Village Sporting and Recreation Club, The Logan Village Line Dancing Club. Ollie has been a member of the Logan Village Hall Committee for 42 years. As well as her community work, Mrs Musch and her husband Merv, have raised 28 children – five of her own, two adopted and 21 foster children.

1998 – Merv Musch Received Recognition – Merv Musch of Logan Village was one of 28 local residents with a history of serving the community. Merc comes from a pioneering family, with his grandfather being one of the first settlers in the Stockleigh area. Merv has been a constant worker for the community and its people for most of his 80 years.

1999 – Community Farewells Local Identity – Local identity and long-time resident of Logan Village, Mervyn Musch passed away quietly at his home in Logan Village. Over two hundred people attended the funeral held at the Logan Village Cemetery and were there to offer support to Merv’s wife of 52 years, Olive and her family. Merv had been a mainstay of Village life for nearly all of his 82 years. Merv worked quietly and tirelessly in many voluntary organisations for many years including the Logan Village P&C,
the Logan Village Cricket Club, the Rural Fire Brigade, and for 40 years he ran the Logan Village dances in the community hall.

2000 – Forest to Town Plan Launched – a plan to build a $1.2 billion residential, commercial and retail development in Logan Village could inject thousands of residents, jobs and homes into Beaudesert Shire. If granted council approval, Celebration Township will be developed on the 2,000-hectare Hancock Pine Plantation site on Tamborine/Waterford Road.

Hancock Group Investments has plans for 10,000 home sites which could be home to up to 30,000 residents, creating a township larger than the city of Maryborough. The Hancock Family has been a timber resource-based company for 120 years. In 1965, the company began planning pine trees, and the harvesting program is now in its final stages. (The development
is now Yarrabilba.)

2000 – Fire Devastates 700 Acres Of Pine Forest – Hancock’s Pine Forest was devastated by a series of fires, with firefighters from eight rural fire brigades and the National Parks and Wildlife Service battling to control the blaze. Over 700 acres of pine forest were destroyed by the fire before it was eventually brought under control two days later.

In The Next Edition – See More Stories of the Local Region …

Written by Noeleen Bobermien (De Lange) and her 82-year-old father, Graham Bobermien, from extracts of their recently published book: “A Journey through Logan Village”. Available to purchase direct from Author (noeleendl@gmail.com) or from Logan Village Museum